Sacha Baron Cohen: Mankini Tourists’ Fines

Sacha Baron Cohen Offers To Pay Fines For Mankini Tourists

Six men from Czechoslovakia have been fined for wearing mankinis in Kazakstan. They dressed up like the Sacha Baron Cohen character Borat, a Kazakh TV presenter, and the local police didn’t think it was funny. The people of Kazakstan don’t appreciate the character one bit. Most of them take it as a great insult. The men have been fined what amounts to $67 each. The reason that the Kazakh authorities gave for the fines is “indecent appearances.” I don’t agree with those police officers. I think the costumes are pretty decent.

Sacha Baron Cohen has offered to pay the fine for the Czech tourists. The actor wrote on his Facebook page: “To my Czech mates who were arrested. Send me your details and proof that it was you, and I’ll pay your fine.” He also set up an e-mail address specifically for the tourists involved: arrestedforwearingyourmankini@gmail.com

Reactions To Mankini Tourists

On Instagram, one Kazakstan resident responded to the tourists, “This is teasing, they should have been jailed.” A journalist asked on Facebook: “I wonder how would the Czech authorities react if our citizens did the same in their country?” A fellow commenter, Vitaliy Shuptar, responded: “I think they would have not reacted. It is because our police are so sensitive.”

So, as you can see, not every single person in Kazakstan is overly sensitive and can take a joke. That’s refreshing, I guess. But, I don’t think I want to visit a country that isn’t going to allow me to wear a mankini.